The names of players and others such as coaches are put on the cup every year. As a result, the NHL had to make the cup bigger, by adding layers to the bottom. When the first cup was full of names, they made a copy of it, which is now what is awarded.

Today, there are 30 teams in the NHL. They play 82 games per year, and then 16 teams make the playoffs. These teams play best-of-seven series until there is only one champion.

The Montreal Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup 24 times, the most of any team. They also won the most in a row: five between 1955-56 and 1959-60.

Henri Richard of the Montreal Canadiens appears the most on the Stanley Cup, 11 times.

The Stanley Cup was not awarded in 2005: there was no NHL season because of a labour disagreement. It was not awarded in 1919, either, because of the influenza epidemic.